1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus including a printhead to discharge droplets.
2. Background Art
Among various types of image forming apparatuses, including printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, and multifunction peripherals combining the capabilities of several of these devices, an inkjet recording apparatus is known in which a printhead formed of a liquid discharge head (droplet discharge head) to discharge droplets is employed.
In the thus-configured image forming apparatus, a liquid supplying device includes a sub tank to temporarily reserve the liquid to be supplied to the printhead, a main tank to contain the liquid to be supplied to the sub tank, a liquid supply tube communicating from the main tank to the sub tank, and a pump to send the liquid from the main tank to the sub tank.
Conventionally, a liquid driver is disposed at the main tank in the liquid supply tube and is driven by the movement of the printhead, so that the liquid can be supplied without providing a dedicated drive source for the liquid driver.
However, because the liquid driver is disposed at the side of the main tank, the liquid supply tube to the sub tank is long, so that a greater pressure is required to supply liquid from the main tank to the sub tank, thereby increasing the load on the carriage on which the printhead is mounted.